McDonald's Corporation operates and franchises restaurants under the McDonald's brand in the United States and internationally. It offers food and beverages, including hamburgers and cheeseburgers, various chicken sandwiches, fries, shakes, desserts, sundaes, cookies, pies, soft drinks, coffee, and other beverages; and full or limited breakfast, as well as sells various other products during limited-time promotions. The company owns and operates under various structures comprising conventional franchise, developmental license, or affiliate. McDonald's Corporation was founded in 1940 and is based in Chicago, Illinois.

McDonald’s выглядит как качественный, но уже дорогой защитный актив, где сильная операционная рентабельность сочетается с заметной премией в оценке. P/E 25.43 выше медианы отрасли на 25.3%, P/S 9.09 и P/FCF 32.68 также существенно выше отраслевых ориентиров, что ограничивает потенциал переоценки. При этом маржинальность очень сильная: валовая маржа 57.41%, операционная 46.09% и чистая 31.85% находятся на высоких уровнях и почти не ухудшаются по годам. ROA 14.51% и ROI 23.00% подтверждают высокую эффективность использования активов и капитала, а выручка, прибыль и EBITDA остаются устойчивыми и в целом растут относительно базы 2024 года. С другой стороны, ликвидность слабая: current ratio 0.95 и quick ratio 0.00 указывают на ограниченный запас краткосрочной прочности, хотя для зрелой франчайзинговой модели это частично объяснимо. Долговая нагрузка остаётся значимой: long-term debt около 39.5 млрд, total liabilities 62.8 млрд, а отрицательный собственный капитал делает баланс менее комфортным для консервативного инвестора. Дивидендная доходность 0.67% есть, но она невысока и не компенсирует полностью дорогую оценку. Позитивно, что ключевые показатели прибыли и маржи не демонстрируют признаков деградации, а денежный поток и доходность бизнеса остаются сильными. Негативный вклад в оценку дают прежде всего высокие мультипликаторы и ограниченная ликвидность, тогда как сильная операционная эффективность и стабильность бизнеса поддерживают цену. В сумме фундаментал скорее оправдывает осторожную корректировку вниз, чем повышение целевого ориентира. Для инвестора это история про высокое качество и устойчивость, но с уже во многом заложенными в цену ожиданиями.

McDonald's Corporation

Средний индекс, значительно упал. Оптимистичный взгляд на свои позиции резко сменился на неуверенность.

Medium index, significantly down. An optimistic view of his position suddenly changed to uncertainty.

Сильный индекс, без изменений. Рынок на стороне быков.

Strong index, flat. The market is on the bulls' side.

Сильный индекс, значительно вырос. Приток средств в лонги на высоком уровне.

Strong index, significantly up. Inflow of funds into longs at a high level.

Сильная маржинальность и стабильная прибыльность поддерживают MCD, но высокая оценка, слабая ликвидность и заметный долг ограничивают потенциал роста.

Key Points
Most S&P 500 index funds are market-cap weighted.
An alternative approach is an equal-weighted fund.
Both can serve you well, and one looks less risky.
What's the investment I've recommended most often for most people? A low-fee exchange-traded fund (ETF) that tracks the S&P 500 index, such as the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO) or the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: SPY). I suspect many of my colleagues would say the same. Even Warren Buffett has recommended it. In his 2016 letter to shareholders, he noted, "Over the years, I've often been asked for investment advice... My regular recommendation has been a low-cost S&P 500 index fund."
So I'm sorry to point out that it's not a perfect kind of investment. It has some issues.
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What's wrong with the S&P 500?
Here's a big one: It's way more concentrated than most people realize. For example, check out its recent top 10 components:
Company
Weight in S&P 500
Nvidia
7.43%
Alphabet (A and C share classes)
6.59%
Apple
6.48%
Microsoft
4.35%
Amazon.com
3.92%
Broadcom
2.74%
Tesla
2.26%
Meta Platforms
2.17%
Micron Technology
1.65%
Berkshire Hathaway
1.56%
Those weightings may not seem huge until you remember that there are about 490 other companies. These 10 above represent about 2% of the index's holdings but 39% of its total value. So if you invest in the S&P 500 because it's a great way to be quickly and easily invested in 500 of America's biggest companies, you are invested in those companies, but more than a third of your investment is in these 10 companies alone.
Here are the weightings of some other companies:
Company
Rank in S&P 500
Weight in S&P 500
McDonald's
54
0.30%
PepsiCo
59
0.29%
Pfizer
80
0.22%
Kroger
261
0.06%
Clorox
468
0.02%
As you can see, you won't have much invested in the vast majority of the companies.
That can be OK, though. Maybe you like those tech heavyweights in the top 10 -- which include all of the "Magnificent Seven" stocks (Apple, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla). Maybe you want to invest in the 500 companies, with most of your money going to the biggest. After all, most of them have grown very rapidly over the past few years.
Keep in mind, though, that when there's a stock market crash or correction, as there invariably is now and then, those high-flying growth stocks are often the ones that fall harder. That, too, can be OK as long as you have a very long-term investing period. But it's not ideal.
Is there a better alternative to the S&P 500?
There is an alternative to standard S&P 500 index funds that's worth considering: An equal-weighted one. Standard ones are weighted by market cap, meaning the larger a company's market cap, the greater its weighting. The Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (NYSEMKT: RSP), in contrast, is equal-weighted. The 500 components are rebalanced quarterly, so between rebalancings you'll see fluctuations in the weightings as various stocks gain or lose value from day to day and year to year. Check out its recent top 10 holdings:
Company
Weighting
Dell Technologies
0.48%
SanDisk
0.48%
Intel
0.42%
Advanced Micro Devices
0.42%
Humana
0.40%
Micron Technology
0.40%
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
0.40%
Seagate Technology
0.40%
ON Semiconductor
0.35%
Western Digital
0.35%
Note that Micron Technology appears in both top 10 lists, but in the earlier one, it has a 1.67% weighting, while in the fund above, it has a much lower weighting of 0.35%. This kind of index fund has you much more invested in the other 490 stocks beyond the top 10 -- though, of course, each stock has a relatively minor weighting. But every promising stock will have an equal chance of outperforming for you.
An equal-weighted S&P 500 ETF may not grow as fast as a market-cap-weighted one, but during a market downturn, it may hold its value a bit more. Over the past 15 years, this ETF has averaged annual gains of about 12%, while the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF has averaged 14.4%. There's a trade-off, but it's not enormous. Give equal-weighted S&P 500 index funds some consideration.
Should you buy stock in Vanguard S&P 500 ETF right now?
Before you buy stock in Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $433,268!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,259,391!*
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Selena Maranjian has positions in Advanced Micro Devices, Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, Broadcom, Meta Platforms, Micron Technology, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Pfizer. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices, Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, Broadcom, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Intel, Meta Platforms, Micron Technology, Microsoft, Nvidia, Pfizer, Tesla, Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, and Western Digital. The Motley Fool recommends Kroger and ON Semiconductor and recommends the following options: long January 2028 $320 calls on McDonald's and short January 2028 $340 calls on McDonald's. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Have S&P 500 Index Funds, Often Touted as the Best Stock Investments, Become Dangerous? There's a Worrisome Development -- and a Possibly Better Alternative.

Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the WisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Fund (Symbol: DGRW) where we have detected an approximate $721.7 million dollar inflow -- that's a 4.3% increase week over week in outstanding units (from 174,450,000 to 182,000,000). Among the largest underlying components of DGRW, in trading today Home Depot Inc (Symbol: HD) is up about 0.1%, McDonald's Corp (Symbol: MCD) is up about 0.3%, and Chevron Corporation (Symbol: CVX) is up by about 1%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the DGRW Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of DGRW, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, DGRW's low point in its 52 week range is $81.28 per share, with $98.005 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $95.77. Comparing the most recent share price to the 200 day moving average can also be a useful technical analysis technique -- learn more about the 200 day moving average ».
Exchange traded funds (ETFs) trade just like stocks, but instead of ''shares'' investors are actually buying and selling ''units''. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. Each week we monitor the week-over-week change in shares outstanding data, to keep a lookout for those ETFs experiencing notable inflows (many new units created) or outflows (many old units destroyed). Creation of new units will mean the underlying holdings of the ETF need to be purchased, while destruction of units involves selling underlying holdings, so large flows can also impact the individual components held within ETFs.
Further DGRW Research:
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

WisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Fund Experiences Big Inflow

McDonald’s Corporation MCD stock has fallen 12.8% over the past three months compared with the industry’s decline of 6.8%. In the same time frame, the S&P 500 has returned 11%.
Investor sentiment has been pressured by concerns about a softer consumer spending environment, rising commodity costs, margin pressures and expectations of slower near-term sales growth. While the fast-food giant continues to gain market share and execute well operationally, Wall Street appears focused on the hurdles that could limit earnings growth in the coming quarters.
On the other hand, MCD has also underperformed compared with industry peers such as Starbucks Corporation SBUX and Yum! Brands, Inc. YUM, as shown in the chart below.
Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Why Has McDonald's Stock Lost Momentum?
A key concern is the continued pressure on lower-income consumers, a customer group that represents an important portion of McDonald’s traffic. Management noted that while higher-income consumers remain resilient, lower-income diners are still reducing spending as they grapple with elevated fuel prices and broader inflation. Although McDonald’s value initiatives have helped recapture some of these customers, demand from this group remains weaker than historical levels, creating uncertainty around traffic growth.
Inflationary pressures are also weighing on investor confidence. Beef prices remain elevated globally, increasing operating costs across the system. Franchisees in both the United States and international markets are facing higher food, labor and operating expenses, which are putting pressure on profitability. While McDonald’s has leveraged supply-chain efficiencies and hedging strategies to mitigate some of these challenges, management warned that inflationary risks could persist into late 2026 and beyond.
Another issue is profitability. Despite healthy sales growth during the first quarter, management admitted that margins at company-operated restaurants in the United States were below expectations. Higher labor investments combined with restrained pricing actions hurt profitability, raising concerns about the pace of margin recovery. The company is now reviewing whether some company-operated restaurants could generate better returns under franchise ownership.
Investors are also digesting management’s outlook for the second quarter. The company expects a noticeable slowdown in comparable-sales growth following difficult comparisons with last year's highly successful Minecraft promotion. Although management remains optimistic about the underlying strength of the business, a slower growth trajectory often weighs on investor sentiment.
Geopolitical uncertainty is another overhang. Ongoing tensions in the Middle East have increased supply-chain risks and contributed to higher energy and commodity costs. While the direct impact on first-quarter results was limited, the situation has added another layer of uncertainty for global consumer companies.
What Is McDonald's Doing to Revive Growth?
McDonald’s is responding aggressively by reinforcing its value leadership. The company recently expanded its McValue platform with a menu featuring items priced below $3 and a new $4 Breakfast Meal Deal. These offerings complement existing value bundles and are designed to attract cost-conscious consumers while driving traffic across dayparts.
The company is also leaning heavily on marketing and brand partnerships. Recent collaborations with Netflix and other entertainment franchises have helped generate consumer engagement, while the upcoming FIFA World Cup sponsorship is expected to provide another significant traffic-driving opportunity across key markets.
Menu innovation remains a major priority as well. McDonald’s has launched a new beverage platform in several markets, including the United States, Germany and Canada. The lineup features refreshers, crafted sodas and upcoming energy-drink offerings. Management views beverages as a sizable long-term growth category capable of driving incremental sales and customer visits.
At the same time, the company continues to gain market share in most of its major markets. Strong execution across value, marketing and menu innovation helped McDonald’s deliver positive comparable-sales growth and maintain momentum despite a difficult operating backdrop. Management also reaffirmed its long-term expansion plans and remains committed to reaching approximately 50,000 restaurants globally by 2027.
McDonald's Growth Projection Encourages
In the past 30 days, the company’s earnings for 2026 and 2027 have decreased by 14 cents each to $12.93 and $14.12, respectively. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MCD’s 2026 and 2027 earnings per share indicates a year-over-year increase of 6% and 9.2%, respectively.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The consensus estimate for revenues is pegged at $28.42 billion and $30.08 billion for 2026 and 2027, implying a year-over-year improvement of 5.7% and 5.8%, respectively.
MCD Stock Trades at a Discount
McDonald's is currently valued at a discount compared with its industry on a forward 12-month price-to-earnings basis. The company’s forward 12-month P/E ratio stands at 20.99X, lower than the industry’s average of 22.24X. Meanwhile, Starbucks and Yum! Brands are trading at P/E ratios of 34.42X and 21.37X, respectively.
P/E (F12M)
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Buy the Dip or Stay Away?
Despite McDonald’s strong brand, market-share gains and ongoing growth initiatives, investors may prefer to stay on the sidelines for now due to several near-term challenges. The company continues to face pressure from cautious spending among lower-income consumers, while persistent inflation in food, labor and operating costs is weighing on profitability across its restaurant network.
Management has also acknowledged margin weakness in its company-operated stores and expects softer sales momentum in the near term. Although McDonald’s is investing in value offerings, marketing campaigns and menu innovation to support growth, these initiatives may take time to offset the impact of a challenging consumer environment and rising costs. With earnings estimates moving lower and multiple external uncertainties still clouding the outlook, investors may find better risk-reward opportunities elsewhere until clearer signs of sustained demand improvement and margin recovery emerge.
MCD currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

McDonald's Stock Slides 13% in 3 Months: Buy the Dip or Stay Away?

Key Points
The stocks listed here pay between 2.6% and 4.9% in dividends.
These are large, recognizable businesses that have solid fundamentals.
Dividend stocks that have fallen to 52-week lows can be enticing options to buy. When share prices drop, that means the yield you're collecting rises, since it means it costs less to acquire a piece of the business, and thus, the dividend income represents a greater proportion of the money you invest. Plus, at a lower price, there's the potential to profit from a rise in price should the stock rally in the future.
Three dividend stocks that recently hit new lows that you may want to consider buying today include McDonald's (NYSE: MCD), AT&T (NYSE: T), and Unilever (NYSE: UL).
Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »
McDonald's
Few companies in the world are as iconic as McDonald's. Its golden arches can be a welcome sight for travelers as the fast-food chain often represents a convenient and relatively low-cost option for a quick meal.
While prices have risen in recent years due to inflation, its restaurants still provide consumers with plenty of value, as evidenced by its continued growth. In the quarter ending March 31, McDonald's reported comparable sales growth of 3.8%, with performance broadly similar across international and domestic markets. It's a good sign of continually strong demand for its products.
McDonald's may not be a growth machine, but it is certainly a dependable and stable long-term investment. And, of course, let's not forget the dividend income you can generate from this investment. At 2.6%, its yield is more than double the S&P 500 average of 1%. The stock is down around 8% this year and recently hit a new 52-week low, but with a reasonable price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 23, it can be a great pick up today, as this is a top dividend stock you can comfortably hang on to for the long haul.
AT&T
Shares of AT&T have been falling recently as investors grow more concerned that SpaceX and its Starlink business may disrupt the broader telecom market. It's an issue that looks overblown, or at best, premature. Starlink is part of SpaceX's connectivity segment, which generated $11.4 billion in revenue last year. AT&T, by comparison, reported revenue that was 11 times that amount last year -- $125.6 billion.
AT&T is a top telecom provider, and while competition may chip away at some of its market share, the stock's recent decline represents a bit of an overreaction simply due to SpaceX gaining more attention of late as a result of its upcoming IPO. However, AT&T stock isn't exactly tumbling over a cliff; it's down around 9% for the year.
For dividend investors, this could be an opportune time to buy this low-volatility stock, as its yield is up around 4.9% right now. AT&T's stock is trading near its lows, and its valuation is enticing -- its P/E multiple is just seven.
Unilever
Top consumer brand Unilever is another dividend stock that's been struggling of late. Its shares are down 12% this year, making its decline the most significant on this list. The market has been concerned with the news that the company is looking to spin off its food business and the uncertainty that might bring.
While it might make the business smaller, Unilever sees it as an opportunity to be more of a pure play home and personal care company. That can help drive efficiency and allow the company to be more focused in its growth efforts. And although the food segment is a key one for Unilever, it was also its slowest-growing one in its most recent quarter, with management saying that "category conditions remained soft" in developed markets.
Unilever stock currently yields right around 4%, making it another excellent income stock to buy and hold. And with its price declining, the stock's valuation looks attractive, as it trades at a P/E ratio of just over 19.
Should you buy stock in McDonald's right now?
Before you buy stock in McDonald's, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and McDonald's wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $439,038!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,277,804!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 942% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 206% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
David Jagielski, CPA has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Unilever and recommends the following options: long January 2028 $320 calls on McDonald's and short January 2028 $340 calls on McDonald's. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Bargain Hunters: These 3 Dividend Stocks Recently Hit New 52-Week Lows

Key Points
The AI craze has left several prominent stocks in other industries on the bargain rack.
Consumers drive the economy -- iconic brands across staples and discretionary markets have become dividend stalwarts.
This list covers real estate, fast food, household goods, home improvement, and healthcare.
The artificial intelligence (AI) boom has defined the stock market since early 2023. AI and other technology stocks have been the big winners more often than not over that time, but the AI trade won't work forever. Eventually, the market will zig and zag as it tends to, and new stocks in other industries will have their moment.
Nobody knows when that time may come, which is why it's so important for long-term investors to diversify their portfolios. A portfolio of 50 or so high-quality companies across all the market sectors can build serious wealth over time and endure the market's inevitable unpredictability. That could mean adding some dividend stocks from non-tech sectors to balance things out.
Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »
Here are five blue chip dividend stocks to consider buying and holding in case the AI trade ends.
1. Realty Income
Real estate is a classic income-generating investment. Realty Income (NYSE: O) is a leading real estate investment trust (REIT) that acquires and leases real estate and distributes most of its cash profits to investors as dividends. Realty Income specializes in retail properties, such as restaurants and convenience stores, but has expanded into other property types in recent years, including casinos and industrial properties.
Realty Income pays a monthly dividend, which is somewhat uncommon, and the company has increased the payout for more than 30 consecutive years. Raising dividends during recessions and the COVID-19 pandemic speaks to the company's resilient rental income streams. The stock currently yields 5.3%, and that dividend can do wonders over time when investors reinvest it for more shares.
2. McDonald's
Investors won't find a more iconic franchise business than McDonald's (NYSE: MCD). The world's largest restaurant chain has more than 45,000 locations in more than 100 countries, which generate steady revenue for the company through royalties and franchise fees each location pays. Consumers tend to associate the brand with value, so McDonald's tends to hold up better than most restaurants during recessions.
McDonald's continues to pay and increase its dividend to shareholders. Now with 49 consecutive annual dividend hikes, McDonald's is on the cusp of becoming a Dividend King, a company with at least five decades of uninterrupted dividend growth. Investors looking for a simple business that continues to churn out steady growth should take a close look here.
3. Clorox
Home products are one of the most underrated but consistent market segments. The Clorox Company (NYSE: CLX) is among a handful of companies that sell some of the most trusted consumer brands, including Clorox, Purell, Glad, Hidden Valley Ranch, Burt's Bees, Brita, and Kingsford. These are products people tend to buy and use regardless of the economy, and they tend to buy these brands because they know them.
Clorox's current dividend growth streak sits at 48 years, making it another soon-to-be Dividend King. Since the pandemic, Clorox has struggled with high costs and a cybersecurity breach. The stock price has tumbled, and the dividend yield is up to 5.2%. But Clorox still earns enough to cover its dividend, and the recent Gojo acquisition (Purell) should boost earnings growth.
4. Home Depot
Housing is one of the U.S. economy's prominent consumer markets, which has helped make Home Depot (NYSE: HD) one of the world's most successful retailers. People tend to invest in their homes, and that includes the maintenance and upkeep virtually every house needs. Home Depot stores blanket the United States, which has helped the company adapt to e-commerce by using its stores as a distribution network.
Home Depot returns much of its cash profits to shareholders through dividends and stock buybacks, a formula that has produced life-changing total investment returns over its lifetime. The stock is down right now due to a slow housing market and consumers struggling with rising living expenses. While housing may fluctuate, it's arguably an evergreen market. Investors should look into buying the stock on its current dip.
5. Medtronic
Healthcare is another forever market. People always need care, and there's an ongoing pursuit of newer and better ways to treat patients. Medtronic (NYSE: MDT) is one of the world's leading healthcare companies, with a broad range of medical products and equipment across cardiovascular, neuroscience, and general surgery applications. Medtronic's decades of success have made the stock a soon-to-be Dividend King, poised for its 50th consecutive annual dividend increase next year.
The company recently spun off its diabetes business segment as MiniMed to reignite growth and entered the robotics-assisted surgery market in the U.S. after its Hugo platform received FDA approval in December 2025. Shares offer a starting dividend yield of 3.5% and trade at less than 14 times 2026 earnings estimates. Analyst estimates of 6% to 7% annualized earnings growth over the coming years make Medtronic a bargain at this price.
Should you buy stock in Realty Income right now?
Before you buy stock in Realty Income, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Realty Income wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $445,672!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,280,566!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 948% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 206% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of June 10, 2026.
Justin Pope has positions in Clorox and McDonald's. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Home Depot, Medtronic, and Realty Income. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2028 $320 calls on McDonald's and short January 2028 $340 calls on McDonald's. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

5 Best Dividend Stocks to Own in Case the AI Trade Ends

Looking at options trading activity among components of the Russell 3000 index, there is noteworthy activity today in Vail Resorts Inc (Symbol: MTN), where a total volume of 3,948 contracts has been traded thus far today, a contract volume which is representative of approximately 394,800 underlying shares (given that every 1 contract represents 100 underlying shares). That number works out to 56.5% of MTN's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 698,345 shares. Particularly high volume was seen for the $145 strike call option expiring June 18, 2026, with 543 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 54,300 underlying shares of MTN. Below is a chart showing MTN's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $145 strike highlighted in orange:
McDonald's Corp (Symbol: MCD) options are showing a volume of 23,259 contracts thus far today. That number of contracts represents approximately 2.3 million underlying shares, working out to a sizeable 54.8% of MCD's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 4.2 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $285 strike call option expiring June 12, 2026, with 1,336 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 133,600 underlying shares of MCD. Below is a chart showing MCD's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $285 strike highlighted in orange:
And Mitek Systems, Inc. (Symbol: MITK) saw options trading volume of 6,638 contracts, representing approximately 663,800 underlying shares or approximately 53.5% of MITK's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 1.2 million shares. Particularly high volume was seen for the $15 strike call option expiring July 17, 2026, with 3,691 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 369,100 underlying shares of MITK. Below is a chart showing MITK's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $15 strike highlighted in orange:
For the various different available expirations for MTN options, MCD options, or MITK options, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
Further MTN Research:
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Noteworthy Tuesday Option Activity: MTN, MCD, MITK

Starbucks Corporation SBUX is placing greater emphasis on cost discipline as it works to convert stronger sales momentum into more durable earnings growth. In the second quarter of fiscal 2026, consolidated revenues rose 9% year over year to $9.5 billion, while global comparable sales increased 6.2%. Operating margin expanded 110 basis points to 9.4%, marking the company’s first consolidated margin expansion since the first quarter of fiscal 2024. SBUX’s fiscal second-quarter earnings per share (EPS) increased 22% year over year to 50 cents, marking its first year-over-year earnings growth in more than two years.
Starbucks’ consolidated margin improved in the fiscal second quarter, but cost pressure remained visible in North America. The segment’s operating margin contracted 170 basis points to 10.2%, reflecting Green Apron Service investments, higher product and distribution costs, tariffs, elevated coffee prices and legal accruals. These pressures were partially offset by progress on operating leverage and cost discipline, underscoring the role of efficiency efforts in supporting margin performance.
Starbucks remains on track with its $2 billion gross cost-savings plan through fiscal 2028, with savings expected across product and distribution costs, operating expenses and G&A. The company expects the near-term savings impact to show most clearly in G&A, with Back to Starbucks investments offsetting much of the realized savings across the P&L.
The pace of savings flow-through remains central to the company’s fiscal 2026 earnings trajectory. Starbucks expects slight year-over-year growth in consolidated operating margin for fiscal 2026, supported by sales leverage, cost-savings initiatives, easing coffee and tariff pressures in the back half of the year and the margin-accretive China JV structure.
With EPS returning to year-over-year growth in the fiscal second quarter and the savings program remaining on track through fiscal 2028, cost discipline is likely to remain a key lever for stronger profit conversion. Reflecting this improved setup, Starbucks raised its fiscal 2026 EPS guidance to $2.25-$2.45 from its prior $2.15-$2.40 range.
How It Stacks Up to Competitors
Dutch Bros Inc. BROS is managing cost pressure through operating leverage, more disciplined labor deployment and overhead efficiency rather than a formal multiyear savings program. The company improved company-operated labor costs by 120 basis points as a percentage of shop revenues in the first quarter of 2026, supported by better alignment of staffing with customer demand. Efficiency also showed up in corporate overhead, with adjusted SG&A improving 100 basis points as a percentage of revenues. BROS expects about 80 basis points of adjusted SG&A leverage for 2026, although higher coffee costs, food rollout expenses and increased occupancy costs tied to its build-to-suit lease strategy remain margin headwinds.
McDonald’s Corporation MCD, by comparison, is using scale, supply-chain discipline and ownership optimization to manage margin pressure. The company said its supply-chain teams, supplier partnerships and hedging strategies position it to navigate food, paper and energy inflation in 2026. MCD also acknowledged that U.S. company-operated margins were not acceptable and is reviewing both ownership mix and development returns, including dropping locations that no longer meet return thresholds.
Compared with BROS and MCD, Starbucks’ cost story is more structured and turnaround-driven. BROS is leaning on sales leverage and overhead efficiency, while MCD is using supply-chain scale, disciplined development and ownership optimization. Starbucks, meanwhile, has a defined $2 billion savings plan through fiscal 2028, making cost discipline a more explicit lever in its effort to convert stronger comps into faster EPS growth.
SBUX’s Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates
Shares of Starbucks have gained 5.1% in the past year against the industry’s 10.8% decline.
SBUX’s One-Year Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, SBUX trades at a forward price-to-sales (P/S) multiple of 3.21, below the industry’s average of 2.74.
SBUX’s P/S Ratio (Forward 12-Month) vs. Industry
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for SBUX’s fiscal 2026 earnings per share (EPS) implies a year-over-year increase of 12.7%. The EPS estimates for fiscal 2026 have increased in the past 30 days.
EPS Trend of SBUX Stock
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
SBUX’s Zacks Rank
SBUX stock currently flaunts a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
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Can Starbucks' $2 Billion Cost-Savings Plan Accelerate EPS Growth?

McDonald’s Corporation MCD is increasingly betting on beverages as a meaningful growth driver, and early signs suggest the strategy could help fuel the next phase of expansion for the stock. During its first-quarter 2026earnings call management highlighted beverages as one of its most promising menu innovation opportunities, alongside value offerings and marketing initiatives.
The company has been testing and expanding its beverage platform across multiple markets. After successful trials in Australia, McDonald’s recently launched new beverage platforms in Germany and Canada. In the United States, the company rolled out a new McCafé beverage lineup featuring refreshers and crafted sodas, with additional flavors and Red Bull-infused energy drinks expected later this year. Management noted that the initial customer response has been encouraging.
Beverages represent an attractive category because they can drive incremental visits, boost average check sizes and improve margins. Unlike traditional burger and fries offerings, specialty drinks create opportunities to attract younger consumers and encourage purchases during non-meal occasions. McDonald’s leadership believes beverages can become a long-term traffic driver, complementing its value-focused menu and promotional efforts.
The beverage strategy is being deployed globally, allowing McDonald’s to leverage its scale and quickly expand successful concepts across markets. Management specifically identified beverages as a potential tailwind for sales through the remainder of 2026.
While macroeconomic pressures and cautious consumer spending remain challenges, McDonald’s strong value positioning, marketing strength and growing beverage platform provide multiple avenues for growth. If customer adoption continues to build, beverage innovation could become a meaningful contributor to sales, market-share gains and long-term shareholder value, supporting the next leg of growth for MCD stock.
Beverage Innovation Is Becoming a Key Competitive Battleground
McDonald’s is not alone in pursuing growth through beverages. Two notable peers, Starbucks Corporation SBUX and Dutch Bros Inc. BROS, have successfully used beverage innovation to drive traffic, customer engagement and sales growth.
Starbucks remains the dominant player in specialty beverages, with cold coffees, refreshers and seasonal drinks contributing significantly to revenues. The company continually introduces new flavors and customization options, helping it attract repeat visits and maintain strong customer loyalty. McDonald’s expanded McCafé platform is designed to capture a portion of this growing demand while offering a more value-oriented alternative.
Meanwhile, Dutch Bros has built its brand around innovative beverages, including energy drinks, flavored coffees and refreshers. The company’s strong unit growth and loyal customer base demonstrate the significant market opportunity in beverage-led concepts. McDonald’s plans to introduce additional beverage flavors and Red Bull-infused energy drinks later this year, signaling a direct effort to tap into this fast-growing category.
As consumers increasingly seek refreshing and customizable drink options, McDonald’s beverage initiatives could strengthen its competitive position and create a meaningful new growth driver alongside its core food business.
MCD’s Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates
McDonald’s shares have lost 9.9% in the past six months, underperforming the Zacks Retail - Restaurants industry, the broader Retail and Wholesale sector and the S&P 500 index.
Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
In terms of its forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio, MCD is trading at 20.82, down from the industry’s 21.98.
MCD P/E (F12M)
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
MCD’s earnings estimates for 2026 and 2027 have trended downward in the past 30 days. The revised estimates for 2026 and 2027 imply year-over-year growth of 6% and 9.2%, respectively.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
MCD currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
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The AI revolution has already minted millionaires. But the stocks everyone knows about aren't likely to keep delivering the biggest profits. AI’s second wave is moving from infrastructure to implementation and these companies are at the forefront of this transition, positioned to become what Amazon and Google were to the internet era.
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Can Beverage Innovation Fuel the Next Leg of Growth for MCD Stock?

Key Points
Musk reiterated his promise to eat a Happy Meal on live TV if McDonald’s accepted Dogecoin.
But its other big mainstream payment deals didn’t meaningfully boost its price.
Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE), which was created as a parody of Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC), reached its all-time high of $0.74 on May 8, 2021 -- the same day Elon Musk, its most prominent backer, hosted Saturday Night Live. But as of this writing, it trades at about $0.08.
Dogecoin, like many other meme coins, fizzled out as rising interest rates and other macro headwinds chilled the cryptocurrency market. Without a supply limit, Dogecoin couldn't be valued by its scarcity, as Bitcoin is. Without native support for smart contracts, Dogecoin couldn't be valued as a blockchain-based developer ecosystem like Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH). That's why it struggled to recover even as Bitcoin and Ether bounced back.
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Yet Elon Musk, who named the Trump Administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) after the meme coin, is still bullish on its growth potential. On June 1, the X user DogeDesigner posted that Musk once offered to eat a Happy Meal on live TV if McDonald's (NYSE: MCD) accepted Dogecoin. Musk reposted the tweet and acknowledged it was "true". So could that actually happen and breathe fresh life into this unloved cryptocurrency?
Mainstream exposure hasn't boosted Dogecoin's price
A handful of major companies already accept Dogecoin payments. Musk allows its Tesla and SpaceX customers to use Dogecoin to buy the companies' branded merchandise (but not Tesla's electric cars or SpaceX's Starlink terminals).
Mark Cuban, another one of Dogecoin's early backers, allowed people to buy Dallas Mavericks tickets and merchandise with the meme coin. Amazon's Twitch, AMC Theaters, Microsoft, Newegg, LVMH's Tag Heuer, and AirBaltic also accept Dogecoin payments for certain products and services.
But just because Dogecoin is an available payment option doesn't mean most consumers are actually using it. Like other cryptocurrencies, Dogecoin's volatility makes it much less reliable than fiat currencies. Most consumers and businesses probably aren't eager to do business with a token that has fluctuated between $0.08 and $0.31 over the past 52 weeks.
So even if McDonald's accepts Dogecoin payments as a publicity stunt to get Elon Musk to eat a Happy Meal on TV, it probably wouldn't move the needle for the meme coin. That's probably why Musk's repost of DogeDesigner's tweet -- which references a comment he made in 2022 -- didn't boost Dogecoin's price as much as some of his own tweets.
Dogecoin might be doomed
Dogecoin didn't recover after its first ETFs were launched in late 2025 and 2026. Its supporters are trying to turn it into a developer-oriented token with Dogechain, a new Layer 2 (L2) solution built on Polygon's blockchain that supports smart contracts. However, it's still tiny compared to big developer ecosystems like Ethereum and Solana. Without those clear long-term catalysts, Dogecoin's price will likely sink lower -- even if big companies like McDonald's start accepting Dogecoin payments.
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Leo Sun has positions in Amazon and LVMH Moët Hennessy-Louis Vuitton. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Bitcoin, Ethereum, Microsoft, Solana, and Tesla. The Motley Fool recommends Lvmh Moët Hennessy-Louis Vuitton, Société Européenne and Polygon and recommends the following options: long January 2028 $320 calls on McDonald's and short January 2028 $340 calls on McDonald's. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Billionaire Elon Musk Has a New Idea That Could Make Dogecoin Investors Very Happy. But Will It Work?

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. CMG is sharpening its loyalty strategy as it looks to convert stronger guest engagement into repeat traffic. The company’s refreshed Rewards program is designed to widen the funnel, deepen engagement with existing members and reduce friction across digital and in-restaurant ordering. The initiative comes as CMG works to sustain transaction momentum in a more cautious consumer environment.
The opportunity is meaningful because loyalty penetration remains uneven across channels. CMG stated that nearly 90% of app transactions are currently linked to Rewards, compared with only about 20% of in-restaurant transactions. That gap gives the company a meaningful opportunity to expand loyalty attachment beyond its digital-heavy customer base and into a major everyday ordering channel. To support that effort, CMG launched an in-restaurant campaign with menu panels and QR code signage while also incentivizing restaurant teams to promote the enhanced program. Early results have been positive, with daily enrollees rising nearly 25% following the relaunch.
The relaunch also builds on improving loyalty-driven sales trends. CMG stated that loyalty-driven comps have outpaced non-loyalty comps for several consecutive quarters, with the gap widening. In the first quarter of 2026, loyalty represented 32% of sales, up 300 basis points year over year, reflecting growth in active members and higher frequency among existing members. Also, emphasis on new features such as expanded reward choice, gamification, monthly Chipotle drops, Freepotle expansion and a planned single-scan feature bode well.
As consumer spending remains uneven across the restaurant industry, CMG’s Rewards relaunch gives the company a more targeted mechanism to influence customer behavior. Supported by a higher loyalty sales mix, stronger enrollment trends and a meaningful in-restaurant conversion opportunity, the program could become a more visible contributor to CMG’s transaction momentum if execution continues to improve.
Chipotle’s Competitive Landscape
Chipotle shares competitive space with Starbucks Corporation SBUX and McDonald’s Corporation MCD in the restaurant industry’s push to drive traffic through loyalty, digital engagement and targeted customer activation.
Starbucks is benefiting from a more mature loyalty ecosystem that supports customer frequency and repeat routines. In the second quarter of fiscal 2026, Starbucks reported a record U.S. 90-day active Starbucks Rewards membership of 35.6 million, up 4% year over year. The company also noted that its new 60-star redemption option became its most-used reward, accounting for roughly one-third of all redemptions, while a growing number of customers visited four or more times per week after the program changes. Starbucks’ rewards platform is closely tied to habitual beverage occasions, giving it a strong base for recurring customer engagement.
Meanwhile, McDonald’s is using a broader traffic-generation framework built around value, marketing, menu innovation and digital activation. In the first quarter of 2026, the company reported global comparable sales growth of 3.8%, including 3.9% growth in the United States. McDonald’s also highlighted campaigns such as KPop Demon Hunters, which combined dual-daypart offers with digital activation in the McDonald’s app. This shows how the company is using digital channels to amplify value and marketing campaigns while staying relevant with digitally native consumers.
CMG operates differently within the loyalty landscape, with its opportunity tied to converting more restaurant guests into active Rewards users. While Starbucks has already built a high-frequency rewards model and McDonald’s is using digital activation within a broader value-led playbook, CMG is focused on narrowing the gap between app-linked and in-restaurant-linked Rewards transactions.
Overall, Starbucks benefits from a loyalty-driven frequency model, McDonald’s gains from value-led traffic initiatives supported by digital activation, while CMG’s opportunity rests on expanding Rewards adoption across its restaurant base. For CMG, stronger in-restaurant adoption and sustained member frequency will be central to determining whether the Rewards relaunch can become a more durable contributor to traffic growth.
CMG’s Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates
Shares of Chipotle have declined 46.4% in the past year compared with the industry’s fall of 12.3%.
CMG One-Year Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, Chipotle trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 2.67, below the industry’s average of 3.15.
CMG’s P/S Ratio (Forward 12-Month) vs. Industry
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CMG’s 2026 earnings per share (EPS) implies a year-over-year decline of 3.4%. The EPS estimates for 2026 have declined in the past 60 days.
EPS Trend of CMG Stock
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
CMG’s Zacks Rank
Chipotle stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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McDonald's Corporation

Price history and volume

360 Overview

Investment risk — low

Investment potential — medium

Bullish sentiment among traders

Price drivers

Food Supply

UK Economy

Consumer Confidence

Consumer Spending

Labor Supply

Recession Risk

Supply Chain Disruptions

Inflation

Interest Rates

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